None.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the heating and, or, air conditioning technical field, as pertains to the use of solar heat recovery or reflection, the control of air circulation, and the heat exchange recovery of thermal energy, by means of a heat exchange effect with the exterior unit of a heat pump and, or, air conditioning system.
The subject matter of the claimed invention is centered around the said exterior unit, the function of which is to act as the heart, veins, lungs, and soul of said system, having a compressor that pumps, by means of tubing thru the air circulation system of the heat exchange coils, fed by a forced air fan.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The soul of the heating and cooling process center, is the said exterior unit heat exchange system, which is located outdoors in a harsh environment, with an unimpeded access of the weather elements of rain, snow, sleet, hail, wind, cold, and extreme heat, which drastically reduces the said heat exchange effect, by;
1) introducing moisture per water, directly into the said air circulation system, which interacts with cold unregulated winds to freeze-up the said tubing and reduces or totally stops air flow,
2) being illuminated daily by solar heat rays, which are either wasted during heat cycle season or endured as a burden to overcome during the cooling cycle season.
Where as, the use of said heat pumps and central air conditioning exterior units, have been plagued by continuous problems such as;
A) the lack of adequate weather protection,
B) the unavoidable placement, of said exterior unit, in weather conditions, which by nature are the total opposite of conditions needed for the optimal heating and cooling exchange functions of the FREON conduit, employed by said exterior unit""s compressor, to transfer;
A) heat from a heat starved environment of the outdoors, through piping, into the indoors,
B) heat from the indoors, into a heat rich environment, of the outdoors, through said piping,
C) said heat, through forced air flow, by use of electric motors, into an already hot summer environment,
D) said heat, pick up from a cold winter environment to be transported indoors.
Further, references to specific problems involved in the prior art, are as follows:
A) College level, book of study, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology, 2nd Edition by Whiman, Johnson, published by Delmar;
A) Page 799, chapter 45, section 25 reads as follows;
xe2x80x9cThe outdoor unit installation for a heat pump is much like a central air conditioning system from an air low standpoint. The unit must have a good air circulation around it, and the discharge air must not be allowed to recirculate.
There are some more serious considerations that should be dealt with. The direction of the prevailing wind in the winter could lower the heat pump performance. If the unit is located in a prevailing north wind or a prevailing wind from a lake, the performance may not be up to standard. A prevailing north wind might cause evaporation to operate at a lower than normal temperature. A wind blowing inland off a lake will be very humid and might cause freezing problems in the winter.
The outdoor unit must not be located where roof water will pour into it. The outdoor unit will be operating at below freezing much of the time, and any moisture or water that is not in the air itself, should be kept away from the unit""s coils. If not, excess freezing will occur.
The outdoor unit is an evaporator in winter and will attract moisture from the outside air. If the coil is operating below freezing, the moisture will freeze on the coil. If the coil is freezing, the moisture will run off the coil as it does in an air conditioning evaporator. This moisture must have a place to go. If the unit is in a yard, the moisture will soak into the ground. If the unit is on a porch or walk, the moisture could freeze and create slippery conditions, FIGS. 45-30.
The outdoor unit is designed with drain holes or pans in the bottom of the unit to allow free movement of water away from the coil. If they are inadequate, the coil will become a solid block of ice in cold weather. When the coil is frozen solid, it is a poor heat exchanger with the outside air, and the C.O.P. will be reduced. Defrosting methods are discussed later.xe2x80x9d
So, you can see that a problem has existed for decades, with no design or consideration given for the control of the problem. The prior art solution has been, to;
1) move it to an area where hopefully the wind isn""t as strong,
2) keep the outdoor unit away from falling water by locations,
3) drill holes in bottom to drain the unimpeded water flow,
B) Conclusion, the novelty of the unobvious approach taken by the inventor, is to go to the core of the problems, stop the water and wind from gaining access to the sensitive heat exchange coils of the exterior unit of a heat pump and, or, air conditioning system, by means of a protective cover enclosure of the patent application Ser. No. 09/261,310, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,281, by the same inventor; and the attachment of the evaporator coils of the present invention, to the inner chamber section of the said protective cover enclosure, so positioned as to surround the said exterior unit, while a water refrigerant is circulated through said present invention evaporator coils, in effect being an air conditioning system for an air conditioning system, by means of the heat exchange effect of the thermal energy within the water refrigerant being transferred to the said exterior unit, therefore increasing the cooling and, or, heating of a conditioned living space by use of thermal energy.
This invention is definitely an improvement, to the prior art, as relates to the said exterior units of heat pumps and air conditioning systems!
The present invention relates to a novel method and manner of creating a temperature change within the conditioned space by the unique positioning of evaporator coils to the inner chamber section of the side panels of the weather shield and solar heat collector per reflector, application Ser. No. 09/261,310, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,281.
It is an object of the present invention to recover thermal energy from a source of water, by passing said water, by means of pumping, through piping, tubing, or hose, through said evaporator coils.
A novel feature of the present invention is the heat exchange effect, created by the fan forced air, of the exterior unit of a heat pump and, or, air conditioning system, passing said air through said evaporator coils of the present invention, recovering and then delivering thermal energy to the heat exchanger of said exterior unit. Said exterior unit, then delivers thermal energy into the conditioned space, creating a temperature change.
Another novel feature of the thermal energy heat exchanger is that the present invention is an air conditioning system, for, an air conditioning system, built within a protective enclosure to completely surround the exterior unit of a heat pump and, or, air conditioning system, whereby the present invention does not intermingle within the said exterior unit""s separate enclosure system.